Impact of immunosuppression regimen on COVID-19 mortality in kidney transplant recipients: Analysis from a Colombian transplantation centers registry.

BACKGROUND: The impact of immunosuppression in solid organ transplant recipients with SARS-CoV-2 infection is unknown. The knowledge about the behavior of different immunosuppression schemes in clinical outcomes is scarce. This study aimed to determine the risk of death in kidney transplant recipients with COVID-19 under two different schemes of immunosuppression. METHODS: We describe our experience in kidney transplant recipients with SARS-CoV-2 infection in seven transplant centers during the first year of the pandemic before starting the vaccination programs in the city of Bogotá. Demographic characteristics, clinical presentation, immunosuppression schemes at presentation, and global treatment strategies were compared between recovered and dead patients; survival analysis was carried out between calcineurin inhibitors based regimen and free calcineurin inhibitors regimen. RESULTS: Among 165 confirmed cases, 28 died (17%); the risk factors for mortality identified in univariate analysis were age older than 60 years (p=.003) diabetes (p=.001), immunosuppression based on calcineurin inhibitors (CNI) (p=.025) and patients receiving steroids (p=.041). In multivariable analysis, hypoxemia (p=.000) and calcineurin inhibitors regimen (p=.002) were predictors of death. Survival analysis showed increased mortality risk in patients receiving CNI based immunosuppression regimen vs. CNI free regimens mortality rates were, respectively, 21.7% and 8.5% (p=.036). CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that the calcineurin inhibitors probably do not provide greater protection compared to calcineurin inhibitor free schemes being necessary to carry out analyzes that allow us to evaluate the outcomes with different immunosuppression schemes in solid organ transplant recipients with SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Perivascular epitheliod cell tumors: Study of three gynecological cases.

ANTECEDENTS: Perivascular epitheliod cell tumor (PEComa) is a rare mesenchymal tumor. They are rare in the field of gynecology, which makes them difficult to consider as a possible diagnostic. We aim to contribute with our experience to ease clinical practice to others gynecologists. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We contribute to literature with three gynecological cases; uterine, vaginal and retroperitoneal PEComas. RESULTS: The uterine and vaginal PEComa, have required surgical treatment, and are free of disease at 9 and 5 months respectively. The retroperitoneal PEComa has recurred at 72 months of follow-up in form of retroperitoneal mass and pulmonary lymphangioleomyomatosis, continues treatment with sirolimus with good tolerance and partial response. DISCUSSION: Given the scarcity of cases, the literature consists of case reports and mini-reviews. Some authors have categorized the PEComas based on prognostic factors, but there is no agreement regarding the follow-up and treatment. 18F-FDG-PET/CT can help characterize these lesions. The surgery is the standard. In recurrent or malignant cases, there is a lack of evidence regarding chemotherapy and radiotherapy. New therapies with inhibitory m-TOR open a hopeful therapeutic window.